Former Rhondda Borough Council Offices

Built of coursed rock-faced sandstone with extensive ashlar dressings in relief, rendered to rear; hipped Welsh slate roof with stack to right. A roughly rectangular building with symmetrical palazzo frontage, matching but less symmetrical to sides. Main frontage has 2 storeys and basement and is 5 bays wide, the central slightly recessed. Windows with replaced glazing have heavily channelled ashlar surrounds and voussoirs, these especially prominent by their height and acute angles on the ground floor; matching staggered quoins. Central square headed entrance with voussoirs and quoins has flight of stone steps leading to deeply recessed square headed doorway with 8 panelled double door with rectangular overlight and channelled surround; at foot of steps are entrance gates comprising 4 iron pilasters with sliding metal railed gates. Heavy bracketed and panelled cornice to deep eaves; a string course continuing round sides divides the 2 main storeys; plinth of larger rock-faced stone blocks has segmental arched grilled basement windows at street level; a number of flagpole fittings attached to front. Two storey elevations with similar windows to sides; to left a side entrance doorway and to right a recessed bay with metal railings.

Entrance lobby has glazed swing doors, side and overlights enriched with coloured glass. Hall has polished grained wood 6 panelled doors and surrounds, dado rail and moulded skirting; moulded cornice and ceiling rose from which hangs a candelabra; terrazzo floor incorporating red dragon motif. Imperial staircase has moulded wooden newel posts and handrail, decorative metal balusters and polished wood side panel incorporating a large circular motif; it rises to a landing with a large round headed window with heavily moulded surround incorporating some coloured glass motifs and thence to a first floor landing with fine decorative polychrome tiled floor and access to main first floor rooms mostly refurbished; rooms on both floors retain some original furnishing such as ceiling mouldings, cornices and roses, shutters and panelled reveals, door surrounds and dados.